g
should be maintained with the Indians (who claimed the country) to
prevent a further cooperation on their part with France.[15]

Previous to the issuing of this proclamation, some families had moved
to Greenbrier and made two settlements--the one on Muddy creek, the
other in the Big-Levels. These, disregarding the command of his royal
majesty and rather regardless of their own safety, remained until they
were destroyed by the Indians, in 1763.[16] From this time 'till 1769
Greenbrier was altogether uninhabited. Capt. John Stuart and a few
other young men, then began to settle and improve the country; and
although attempts were subsequently made by the Indians to exterminate
them, yet they ever after continued in possession of it.

[49] In the year 1756 settlements were also made on New river and on
Holstein.[17] Among the daring adventurers who effected them, were
Evan Shelby, William Campbell, William Preston and Daniel Boone, all
of whom became distinguished characters in subsequent history. Thomas
Walden,[18] who was afterwards killed on Clinch river and from whom
the mountain dividing Clinch and Powel rivers derived its name, was
likewise one of them. The lands taken up by them, were held as "_corn
rights_" each acquiring a title to an hundred acres of the adjoining
land, for every acre planted in corn.

Nearly cotemporaneous with these establishments, was that at
Galliopolis, on the north western bank of the Ohio, and below Point
Pleasant, at the mouth of the Great Kenhawa. This was made by a party
of French Jesuits, by whom the Indians were incited to make
incursions, and commit the most enormous barbarities on the then
frontiers.[19] This place and the mouth of Great Sandy were the chief
points of rendezvous for the Ohio Indians. From the former of these
places they would ascend the Kenhawa and Greenbrier rivers, and from
thence crossing the mountains enter into Augusta; or after having
ascended the Kenhawa, go up the New river, from which they would pass
over to the James and Roanoke. From the mouth of Great Sandy they
would ascend that river, and by the way of Bluestone fall over on the
Roanoke and New river. From those two points, expeditions were
frequently made by the Indians, which brought desolation and death
into the infant settlements of the south west, and retarded their
growth very much. In the spring of 1757 nearly the whole Roanoke
settlement was destroyed by a party of Shawanees, who had thus m